GNOME 3 released, ushers in an interesting amalgam of iOS and OS X

GNOME 3 desktop manager
GNOME 3, after more than two years of development, has been released into the wild. GNOME 3 is not merely the logical successor of GNOME 2: it is an entirely new project, started from scratch, to create a "completely new, modern desktop designed for today's users and technologies."

The best way to check out GNOME 3's new features -- and it has lots of new features -- is to run a live version of openSUSE or Fedora, or simply head over to the GNOME 3 website and watch the (rather pretty) introductory videos. If you want a synopsis, though, here it is: GNOME 3 looks a lot like Mac OS X, with a healthy dollop of iOSesqueness for good measure, but yet it still somehow retains an underlying feel of Linux.

The overall aesthetic is very simple, very elegant, and despite being slightly out of fashion, there are plenty of rounded corners, too. The main addition, workflow-wise, is the addition of an app-launcher-cum-alt-tab screen, where you can launch apps, or flip through your open windows. For a complete list of the new features and changes, check the GNOME 3 release notes.

Despite GNOME 3 being officially launched, there aren't actually any releases for existing, stable Linux distros -- it's the live CD/USB images, or Ubuntu users will have to wait for the launch of 11.04 for a GNOME 3 PPA, but it will break Unity in the process. Fedora users will have to wait for for the May 24 release of Fedora 15. Of course, if you're feeling crazy, you can always build GNOME 3 from source.

GNOME 3 released, ushers in an interesting amalgam of iOS and OS X originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 06:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/07/gnome-3-released-ushers-in-an-interesting-amalgam-of-ios-and-os/

Sascha Dörr Kristin Gehrmann Annette Lechner Margarethe Lachner

Google announces NFC-based Android Beam for sharing between phones (video)

Google's already embraced NFC for mobile payments, and it's now ready to do some sharing as well. That comes in the form of the new Android Beam feature for Ice Cream Sandwich, which the company just announced at its joint event with Samsung in Hong Kong. Much like HP's ill-fated Touch-to-share functionality, it will let you simply tap two NFC-enabled devices together to share a piece of information. That will work with a range of apps and services in Android, including YouTube videos, contact information, maps, web pages, and even links to apps in the Android Market. What's more, Google also announced that the SDK is available for download today -- get it at the source link below.

Update: We've now added a video of the cool demo after the break. You're welcome.

Continue reading Google announces NFC-based Android Beam for sharing between phones (video)

Google announces NFC-based Android Beam for sharing between phones (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 Oct 2011 23:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/hmkeFfh2l3A/

Ingeburg Liebermann Elsa Alexander Furtmann Siegrid Holstein Michael Vollmar

How the Motorola Droid RAZR Stacks Up to the Competition [Droid RAZR]

For the time being*, the Droid RAZR is Motorola's top dog, and one of the best Android handsets around. That warrants a close comparison of its guts versus the internals of other top phones. More »


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/1mvStY5to3U/how-the-motorola-droid-razr-stacks-up-to-the-competition

Franziska Spanier Erna Van den Hout Laura Pauli Janna Löhnig

Daily Tip: How to create text shortcuts in iOS 5

Tired of typing out long words, names, and sentences and wondering how to create text shortcuts? Lucky you! One of the new features of iOS 5 is the ability to do just that. For example, instead of typing out “On my way!”, you just type “omw”...

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/TOsp6S9h2cI/

Arno Zimmerling Jacqueline Kiesel Michel Rohr Hilde Baaden

Doxie Go Scans On Its Own and Is Now iOS Friendly [Gadgets]

The original version won our affections with a lovely heart graphic on the scanning button, but Doxie's latest portable scanner is all business, doing its thing without even the need for a USB connection to a computer. More »


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/a5FD9j_CuaE/doxie-go-scans-on-its-own-and-is-now-ios-friendly

Karla Reusch Wilhelm Klassen Nathalie Füllgraf Janine Harrer

PlayStation Vita Will Debut In US And Europe On February 22

vitaSony's Playstation Vita has long been slated for a December release in Japan, but Sony has just announced at the Web 2.0 Summit in San Francisco that their new portable will be hitting shelves stateside and in Europe on February 22.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/tkmkbUvk1aw/

Ingeburg Liebermann Elsa Alexander Furtmann Siegrid Holstein Michael Vollmar

OmmWriter brings its clean, calm writing interface to Windows

ommwriter
I have a thing for full-screen text editing. I use WriteMonkey for my creative writing needs, and VIM in a full-screen PuTTY session for my Web development work. That being the case, I'm all over the monospace, dark-background, focused editing scene.

OmmWriter attempts to take that aesthetic and make it somehow more spiritual, with three picturesque backgrounds and ambient background audio tracks (there are seven of each in the paid version).

I'm of two minds about this app. On the one hand, yes, it's beautiful. But if you want music as a background to your writing, why not pick your own soundtrack with Winamp or Foobar2000 running in the background?

OmmWriter also offers three keyboard-clicking sounds, which are kind of nice. None of these features are groundbreaking, really. OmmWriter could be seen as a way to gently ease into the world of distraction-free writing -- in case something like WriteMonkey's dark background is just too oppressive for you.

After the fold you can see a video showcasing several of OmmWriter's features and creative soundscapes.

Continue reading OmmWriter brings its clean, calm writing interface to Windows

OmmWriter brings its clean, calm writing interface to Windows originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 01 Apr 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/01/ommwriter-brings-its-clean-calm-writing-interface-to-windows/

Olga Kreibich Nathalie Donnerhacke Anna-Lena Baumgärtel Sabine Kinzler

Hands On With Motorola?s Droid Razr, World?s Thinnest Smartphone

Tuesday morning, Motorola announced its new flagship Android smartphone, the Droid Razr. Now, after spending some quality hands-on time with the phone, I can say it’s poised to become a formidable competitor in the Android space — if not also a challenge to Apple’s much-lauded iPhone 4S. Motorola is celebrating the new Razr as the world’s [...]

Source: http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/10/motorola-razr-android-hands-on/

Laura Pauli Janna Löhnig Gabriela Schnee Rita Imhof

Daily Crunch: Moon Phase Edition

The Legend Of Zelda: A Generation?s Awakening Sega Toys? R2-D2 Homestar Planetarium Shows The Death Star Surveillant Society ?Rotary Mechanical? Cell Phone Concept Isn?t Practical, But It Looks Great 11 Great Last Minute Geeky Father?s Day Gifts Weekend Giveaway: Man Cave Gear For Pops

Source: http://www.crunchgear.com/2011/06/18/daily-crunch-moon-phase/

Hartmut Theobald Nicholas Graul Malin Hock Helmut Hölzer